A Dance to remember
by Lady Sinistra 23
Summary: Come to Gekkoukan High's First Dance! There will be food, drinks, and of course romance! And, of course, with the SEES group, we have to have some awkwardness, comedy and demonstrations of true friendship! You don't want to miss it, because it will certainly be a dance to remember! Dedicated to LonelyDessert. Pairings: Minato/Mitsuru Minako/Akihiko
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, this my Persona 3 fanfiction. Just a heads-up, this is Minato/Mitsuru and Minako/Akihiko story. There are also a good amount of spoilers since this takes place in January. Also, just some background on the social links: Empress is around 7, right before the scene with Mitsuru's fiance. Star (Akihiko) is maxed out on the lover route. All other social links you should just assume are maxed out. I'm also dedicating this fanfiction to LonelyDessert, since they wrote up the little prompt that inspired this. Thank you very much and I hope this lives up to your expectations! Now, without further ado, please enjoy.

A Dance to Remember

"Minato-kun!"

Minato stopped walking down the checkerboard hallway, and turned to face the teen that called out to him. He was wearing the Gekkoukan High uniform exactly as the school guidelines instructed, however, he had a yellow band on his left arm with the words "Student Council" printed on it.

Minato nodded and returned his friend's greeting, "Hello, Hidetoshi-kun. How's it going?"

"I'm doing fine, I just wanted to give you this," Hidetoshi handed Minato a sheet of paper.

Minato raised an eyebrow and examined the sheet. On closer inspection, it was a colorful flyer that read "Come to Gekkoukan High's First School Dance." Minato looked back to Hidetoshi quizzically.

"We convinced the principal to let us throw a dance after school this Saturday, to make up for the school festival being cancelled. We're handing out flyers to promote it," Hidetoshi explained, anticipating the teen's question.

"I see…"

"You should come," Hidetoshi continued, "It's the first dance we've ever had; a lot of people are looking forward to it."

Suddenly, a hand reached out and snatched the flyer out of Minato's hands as a long arm hooked itself around his neck.

"Junpei, what are you doing?" Minato asked.

Junpei ignored Minato's question as he exclaimed, "Whoa! A dance, huh?! Heh! Sounds like fun! You goin' Minato?"

Minato shrugged, "Probably not."

He almost laughed from the look of shock that exploded on Junpei's face, "What?! Why not!?"

"What would I want to do at a dance?"

"DUH! Pick up girls, of course!"

Minato let a smirk slip through his mask of indifference, "What about Chidori?"

Junpei's eye grew wide as he stammered, "I-I-I didn't mean me! You know I'm crazy 'bout her! I'm talkin' about you, man! Everyone knows you're popular with the ladies! You're like… the second coming of Akihiko-senpai!"

"And just like Akihiko-senpai, I don't particularly enjoy it," Minato countered flatly.

Junpei rolled his eyes, frustrated by his friend's reluctance to actually have some fun, "OH, COME ON! There must be someone you like!"

At that, Minato averted his gaze. Junpei was right about him being interested in a girl. Actually, he already had this conversation with him back at their beach trip to Yakushima, but to avoid the inevitable teasing and gossip spreading, he lied and told him he wasn't interested in anyone.

_"Besides_," Minato thought sadly, "_It's not like I would have a chance with her anyway."_

Minato was brought out of his thoughts with the snapping of Junpei's fingers in his face.

"Hellooooooo?! Earth to Minato!"

"Hmm…?"

Junpei sighed, "Quit zoning out and answer the question!"

Minato was saved from Junpei's interrogation as the warning bell rang, signaling that they only had three minutes to return to class.

"Time to go, Junpei. Class ."

"Ugh, fine, but at least think about askin' someone to the dance," Junpei said as they both entered Class 2-F to resume their school day.

Minato found himself in front of the Iwatodai dorm with a brown paper bag filled with books in hand. After school, he had decided to spend his afternoon at the secondhand bookstore. Between browsing the different books they had, and conversing with the old couple that owned it, it was already dark by the time he reached the dorm. He entered the building and signed his name into the check-in book off to the left.

"Welcome back, Arisato."

Minato turned to see his crimson- haired upperclassman sitting in a sofa, reading a book.

Minato nodded, "Evening, Mitsuru- senpai."

He quickly scanned the room and found that he and Mitsuru were the only ones present.

"Where are the others?"

Mitsuru looked up from her book, "Yukari and Yamagishi are upstairs, helping Aigis with her studies. Akihiko and Iori haven't returned yet, and Arisato and Amada are walking Koromaru."

Minato nodded to his friends' and sister's whereabouts, then took a seat in the other sofa so he could start reading one of the books he purchased today. He didn't know how much time had passed while he was engrossed in the story, but eventually he heard the front door open. He turned to see Koromaru run in, with his twin Minako and Ken following close behind. Minato reached down to pet Koromaru when the lovable pup bounded up to him happily.

"Hey Mitsuru-senpai, Minato-nii! We're back!" Minako exclaimed cheerfully.

"Welcome back, Arisato, Amada," Mitsuru replied.

Ken nodded back, "Hello Kirijo-san, Minato-san."

Minato stopped petting Koromaru and reached into the bag, shuffling the contents around, looking for something. He then picked up three colorful paperback books and handed them to Ken.

"I saw these today and thought you might like them," he said.

Ken looked over the books and then exclaimed with a huge smile on his face,

"WOW! These are the first three volumes of the manga for Phoenix Featherman R! Y'know, when he first discovers his powers and the evil Emperor, and—"

Ken stopped his excited chattering and cleared his throat before saying, "I mean… Thank you Minato-san for buying me this… I should be able to use some pages for my collage in art class…"

Minato let out an amused smirk, "No problem, Ken. Glad you like it."

Ken nodded before bolting up the stairs, no doubt going to read the superhero manga. Minato then heard a chuckle beside him as his fraternal twin sister bent down to pet Koromaru.

"It's so cute how Ken-kun tries to act like he's not interested in things like superheroes like other kids. Anyway, have you heard about the dance they're having at school, bro?"

Minato nodded, "Yeah. The flyer said it's supposed to be this Saturday night, probably because the following day will be the weekend."

Minako nodded, "That's what I thought, too. Hey, Mitsuru- senpai, why are we having this dance anyway?"

"Planning for a school festival uses a lot of time since there are so many events, so the Council decided that having one event, such as this, will be easier to achieve. The principal agreed, so this dance is to help compensate for the school festival being cancelled," explained Mitsuru.

Minako nodded, "Makes sense. So who are you going with, Senpai?"

At Minako's question, Minato immediately shifted his attention to the redhead, anxiously awaiting her answer. Mitsuru also seemed to be caught off guard as she looked directly into the curious eyes of Minako. However, she regained her composure after processing the question.

"As the president of the Council, I have decided to help oversee the event, instead of participate. "

Normally, Minako would have probably let the matter drop after hearing that answer. However, she had always suspected that her brother felt an attraction to their senpai, and the way he paid close attention to her answer only served to strengthen that theory. She also felt a similar vibe from Mitsuru during the talks they started having this winter. Minako knew that with both of their emotional barriers, they were going to need some help opening up to each other.

And this was the perfect opportunity.

Putting on the pout she spent years perfecting, she said, "But Senpai, that's no fun! It's Gekkoukan's first dance! You're supposed to dance, not supervise!"

Minato had a bad feeling about this; Minako knew he was interested in Mitsuru, as she had asked him about it numerous times throughout the year. With that fake pout she put on, he knew she was up to something that he definitely wouldn't approve of.

"Other than supervising, I don't see a reason to go."

Minako sighed, "The reason is to have some fun."

She then smirked mischievously.

_"Uh-oh," _Minato thought. _"This can't be good…"_

"If the problem is that you're having trouble finding a date, why not take Minato-nii?"

"Excuse me?!" Minato and Mitsuru both said in shocked unison.

The smirk grew to a grin, "Yeah! You both are in Student Council, so you could still superviseif you need to; you'll even have backup. But, if not, then you two could actually ENJOY yourselves for once. I mean really, Senpai, don't you think you push yourself AND Minato-nii a little too hard?"

"I suppose that's true…" Mitsuru trailed off, looking down.

"And you don't have anything better to do, right bro? At least that's what Junpei told me after he tried to convince you to go."

Minato said nothing. He only glared at his nosy sibling, silently telling her not to do this. However, he could tell by how the mirth in Minako's eyes grew, that his pleas were futile.

"Besides, if you ask me, you two would make a beautiful couple," Minako teased, clearly enjoying herself.

The "beautiful couple" blushed after hearing Minako's opinion.

"Arf! Arf!" Koromaru barked happily, seeming to agree.

"See! Even Koro-chan thinks so!" Minako laughed, while the heat in the other two teens' cheeks intensified.

"Thinks what?" a voice asked.

Everyone turned to see Gekkoukan's boxing champion standing at the door, looking at them quizzically.

"Aki!" exclaimed Minako as she went over to hug him. Akihiko and Minako had been dating for a couple weeks, but it seemed more like months by how close they've gotten. So things like this were a common occurrence, at least in the dorm.

"Hey," Akihiko replied as he returned the hug. "So what are you all talking about?"

"We were just talking about Minato-nii taking Mitsuru- senpai to the school dance this weekend."

"I don't remember agreeing to that," Minato said, annoyed.

"Come on Minato-nii! It'll be fun! Wouldn't it be nice to take Senpai on an actual DATE, instead of just going to eat at Hagakure or Wild Duck Burger?" asked Minako, the amusement never leaving her eyes.

"DATE?!" said Minato, stunned.

Akihiko smirked as he started to catch on to his girlfriend's plan. He knew for sure that Mitsuru was interested in Minato, most likely because of the junior's abilities, wit, and intelligence. He confronted her on this a few times when they were alone, but she always avoided the issue with the threat of a painful execution.

Although, judging by the wide eyes and faint blush on the heiress' cheeks, one last attempt may be in order.

"I think it's a good idea."

Everyone focused their attention on the silver-haired senior. Mitsuru, in particular, seemed to be focused on burning holes into the boxing champion with her eyes.

Akihiko grasped Minako's hand for support as he said, "C'mon Mitsuru. This is our last year of high school and the first school dance; we won't get another chance to go next year. If this year has taught us anything, it's that we should enjoy ourselves and make good memories, right?"

"Nicely put, Aki! Now, we'll leave you two alone to work out the details. Be sure to ask me for advice about your outfit, 'kay Senpai?" Minako said as she led Akihiko upstairs, Koromaru following close behind.

Once they had gone, an awkward silence fell over the two teens. Both of them were having trouble looking each other in the eye.

Minato was annoyed at his sister for placing him in this situation. However, he believed Akihiko had a point. They had already decided to fight against Nyx, but if the battle didn't go as they hoped, he would never get a chance like this again. He knew that if that happened, he would definitely regret it. Even if she said no, he could at least say that he tried.

This is why he took a deep breath to gather his courage before asking, "…Mitsuru- senpai, would you like to go to the dance with me?"

Mitsuru's head snapped up to look the cobalt-haired teen in the eye, "What…?"

This time, Minato found that the words came easier to him as he said, more surely, "Would you like to go with me to the dance?"

Mitsuru turned her head in order to hide her blush from the teen's offer. The redhead was rarely asked out on a date, and the last time she had was at a difficult time for her: her father's death. In any case, she was never really an approachable person (at least according to Akihiko), so she wasn't really experienced in things like romance. However, she would only be lying to herself if she said she didn't have a desire to go out with the cobalt- haired teen (although she wouldn't be admitting that to anyone anytime soon). She also didn't see any real reason not to go with him.

So after squashing her embarrassment, she answered, "I don't see why not… I'll give you the details later; I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Arisato."

Minato didn't even notice her leave as he was still processing her answer with disbelief. Then, a genuine smile appeared across his face as he realized that he would be going to the dance with the one person he thought about almost constantly. Then, his smiled faded to a look of worry as he remembered that he was completely inexperienced in this sort of thing. As he made the journey back to his room, he silently prayed to every deity he could think of that he wouldn't turn the evening into a catastrophe.

Meanwhile, in the second floor hallway, two figures appeared from the behind the vending machine, and dashed into one of the rooms. Inside, the lights were flicked on as a certain auburn- haired girl took her seat in a desk chair, looking thoroughly satisfied.

"Ha! I knew I would get those two together," exclaimed Minako, "Thanks for the backup Aki."

"No problem," Akihiko replied as leaned his back against the wall, "But honestly, I'm surprised that Mitsuru even went for it. Anyway, do you really think that a dance is the right way to go...? I mean, with those two, I'm not so sure…"

"Hmm, I see your point. Minato-nii's no Casanova… Well, at least not intentionally," Minako corrected herself, remembering her brother's many admirers, "And as far as I know Mitsuru- senpai has only been asked out by Ryoji, and since he was a shadow, I don't think that really counts. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to help those two out!"

"How?" Akihiko asked confused.

"Hmm… Let's just start with getting them ready for the dance. We'll even get Yukari and Junpei in on it, too. You and Junpei take Minato to get a suit, while me and Yukari help out Senpai."

Akihiko shrugged, "Sounds like a plan."

"Great!" Minako exclaimed before yawning, "Well, I'm heading to bed now. 'Night, Aki!"

As Minako exited his room, Akihiko suddenly remembered that he hadn't asked his girlfriend to accompany him to the dance.

_"Well, _Akihiko thought, _"I'll just ask her the next time I get the chance."_

As the bell rang, and Mitsuru gathered up her things, she wondered what she would do for the rest of the day. The Student Council wasn't meeting today, and—

"SENPAI!"

Mitsuru whipped around to see her ruby- eyed underclassman run up to her, completely oblivious to the strange stares she was receiving from the other seniors in the class.

"Minako! You can't just barge into the seniors' classroom!"

Yukari nervously walked into the seniors' class, throwing all of them apologetic glances for her friend's behavior. Once she had joined the other two, she saw Minako waving her hand dismissively.

"Hey, this is important. We don't have time to worry about manners."

Yukari just sighed, "You're taking this way too seriously."

"Says the girl who spent a whole week trying to investigate a ghost because she was scared!" Minako shot back mockingly.

Yukari was taken aback before angrily saying, "Hey! I'm not afraid of g-g-ghosts!"

Minako giggled, "Your stutter says otherwise."

Mitsuru cut off Yukari's reply by asking the question that she and her peers were wondering,

"What are you two doing here? Is there a problem?"

The two turned back to their senpai, remembering the goal of their little foray to the seniors' classroom.

"Oh yeah, that's right! C'mon Mitsuru-senpai!" Minako said grabbing the heiress's arm and dragging her out of the classroom. Mitsuru was surprised by the amount of power the young girl had, for she had a difficult time trying to break her kidnapper's hold.

"Arisato! What do you think you're doing?!"

Yukari, who was walking casually beside the pair, answered, "We're taking you out shopping."

"Shopping…?" Mitsuru queried.

Minako spoke up cheerfully, "Yep! We're gonna help you pick out a dress for the dance. We have to make sure you look nice!"

"Huh…? But…!"

Yukari interrupted Mitsuru's protest by saying, "C'mon, Senpai! It'll be fun!"

Minako agreed, "Yeah! Just trust us! We'll make you look so beautiful that Minato-nii won't be able to take his eyes off you!"

Mitsuru turned her head, trying desperately not to blush and gave the two girls her consent.

Meanwhile…

Minato was walking out of his classroom, when he heard Junpei call out to him. He was all the way down at the end of hall with two cans of what looked like grape soda.

Junpei jogged down the hallway while shouting, "Hey, pal! How about some nice, cool sodaaaa…!"

Junpei tripped and the grape soda flew right into Minato, staining his uniform bright violet.

"AAAHH! JUNPEI!" Minato yelled while shivering from being hit by the ice cold liquid.

Junpei chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry 'bout that…"

"Whoa! Minato! What happened to you?" a voice questioned.

Minato turned and saw his silver haired upperclassman looking at him, clearly wondering about the boy's ruined clothes.

Minato growled bitterly, "Junpei and grape soda happened to me."

Akihiko looked confused before he noticed Junpei gesturing wildly behind Minato. After a few seconds of deciphering the signals, he realized what Junpei was trying to do.

"Oh! Uh… Hey Minato…! Why don't we go to get you some new clothes?"

The blue-haired teen looked up from inspecting his mutilated clothes and said with a wave of his hand, "That's alright, Senpai. It wasn't _your_ fault."

Junpei piped up, "Hey! It was an accident! Anyway, we'll all go to Paulownia Mall and I'll get you some new clothes to make up for it, some real nice ones!"

Minato looked at the disarming smile that Junpei flashed him with skepticism; he may be a lot of things, but Minato Arisato was _not_ an idiot. While the soda debacle may have well been an accident, he was beginning to doubt it. Even though the hat-wearing teen was one of his closest friends, Junpei was never _this_ generous. His suspicions were supported by the slight anxiety he noticed on Akihiko's face. While he was tempted to just confront them about whatever they were up to, his curiosity won out and he decided to just play along.

"Alright, then. Let me just change into my gym clothes and we'll head out."

"Alright, man," Junpei said as he watched Minato descend down the stairs. He then turned to Akihiko and exclaimed with a wide grin, "Ha! It worked! Man, I'm a genius!"

"Is that really something to be proud of? You just spilled soda on him!"

"All part of the plan, Senpai," Junpei said smugly, "Just trust me; Junpei the Wise has got it all figured out."

_"Junpei the Wise? Yeah right…" _Akihiko thought sarcastically before saying, "Whatever… Let's just go."

Junpei and Akihiko left to wait for Minato by the entrance.

"Hmm… Nope! … No… Ugh, no way…! …Ooh! Wait, no…"

Minako was scouring racks and racks of dresses, looking very frustrated. After exiting the school, the girls journeyed to Paulownia Mall in search of a dress for Mitsuru. They entered a boutique and dispersed to look upon its contents.

The interior of the store looked like someone had thrown up the color magenta _everywhere_ – the walls, the carpet, even on the dressing rooms in the back. All of the dresses were on circular racks all around the center of the store. On the right-hand wall were shelves filled with shoes of all shapes and sizes, and on the left-hand wall were shelves filled with various accessories, such as purses, jewelry, etc. There were also bright lights shining on all the merchandise, which not only brought attention to the products but also to the unusual color of the store.

While Mitsuru seemed very uncomfortable and out of place in the boutique, Minako and Yukari seemed right at home and confident that finding something for their friend would be easy. However, they were proven wrong as they had been there for quite some time, and couldn't find anything satisfactory. Every outfit that the younger girls chose didn't seem to complement the look and style Mitsuru had. And Mitsuru was little help in that regard as the girl didn't even select her own clothes; she usually relied on her family's stylist in that area.

"Hey, did you find anything Minako?"

Minako turned around and saw Yukari and Mitsuru approach her from the dressing rooms. She noted with sadness that Yukari had a very disappointed look on her face.

"Dress Number 17 was a bust, too, huh?" Minako asked, already sure of the answer.

Yukari sighed exasperatedly and nodded, "Man, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I mean, none of these really fit Mitsuru- senpai at all."

The two heavily sighed as the subject of their discussion spoke up, "Perhaps we should just go. I don't think we're going to find anythi-"

"No way!" Minako exclaimed, "We're going to find the perfect dress for you, Senpai! There's gotta be something here that'll work…!"

_"She's getting way too into this," _Yukari thought, rolling her eyes.

"'Ello, can I help you?" a voice behind them called.

They all turned around and Minako gasped, "Bebe?!"

Bebe looked surprised before he beamed at her and exclaim, "Minako- sama! I can't believe it ez you!"

Minako ran up and gave Bebe a friendly hug. When they separated, Minako noticed the confused looks Mitsuru and Yukari gave her.

"Oh! This is Bebe, a good friend of mine and Minato's," she explained before turning to Bebe, "Bebe, these are my friends-"

"Oh! Mitsuru Kirijo and Yukari Takeba! It ez an honor to meet you both!" Bebe bowed to the two girls.

Yukari looked even more confused, "Um… How'd you know who we are?"

Bebe smiled and gestured to Minako, "Minako-sama and Minato-sama have both told me a lot about you. I'm glad that I got to meet some of their tomodachis- friends -while I got the chance."

"Oh, that's right! How are you still here, Bebe?" Minako questioned, "I thought you were supposed to go back to France."

"Hai! That ez true, but my transfer ez taking a little longer than expected, so I'm working 'ere for some extra money. But I'll be going back 'ome this Sunday," Bebe explained, "But what are you doing here Minako-sama?"

Minako sighed, "Well, Yukari and I were trying to help Senpai pick a dress for the dance this Saturday, but it's not going so well…"

"Oh! There's going to be a dance at Gekkoukan?!" Bebe asked excitedly.

Minako nodded, "Yeah, it's the first one, and Mitsuru- senpai's going with Minato-nii. We're helping her get ready, but…"

"…But we can't find anything in this store!" Yukari finished dejectedly.

Bebe looked between the two depressed girls before an idea came to him, "Why don't I make 'er a dress?"

All three looked up at the Frenchman in shock.

"…Make her a dress…?" Yukari asked confused.

Minako's face lit up and asked, "REALLY?! YOU'D DO THAT, BEBE?!"

Bebe nodded vigorously, "Of course! Anything for my good tomodachis, Minako and Minato!"

"YES! YOU'RE AMAZING, BEBE!" Minako exclaimed, hugging the blond again.

"Wait, Arisato! I'm not sure that he can…" Mitsuru trailed off, not knowing a tactful way to voice her disbelief in the teen's designing ability.

"Don't worry, Senpai! Bebe knows exactly what he's doing," Minako reassured, "He was in the sewing club with me and Minato, and he taught us how to make lots of things! He also made this AMAZING kimono all by himself!"

"Hai! Hai! It ez true! Relax, Kirijo- sama! I promise to make you ze best dress you've ever seen!" confidently declared Bebe.

Mitsuru looked toward Yukari for her opinion, and received a simple shrug in return.

The senior sighed, "Well, if you say so…"

"Yes!" Minako yelled and high-fived Bebe.

"Now, come with me so I can take your measurements," Bebe said, gesturing the girls to follow.

Minako started pulling her hesitating upperclassman toward the room, with Yukari following close behind.

"Well, Minato? How is it?"

"It's _stupid_, is what it is!" Minato said, annoyed.

Minato was currently dressed in a truly _atrocious _light blue suit and white, puffy undershirt that Junpei had selected for him. Similar to the girls, the three males went to a store in Paulownia Mall in search of a suit for Minato. However, everything Junpei picked out was embarrassing, ill-fitting, or some combination of the two. The baseball-capped teen's formal fashion sense was either really horrible, or he just liked to see his usually collected friend squirm.

Minato was starting to suspect the latter, what with the burst of laughter that his friend was struggling to contain.

"I'm taking this off!" Minato growled before storming back into the dressing room.

Akihiko sighed, "Would it kill you to take this a little more seriously? The girls will be pissed if we don't help Minato find some good clothes."

"Aww, c'mon Senpai! I'm just havin' a little fun!"

Junpei flinched from the glare Akihiko threw him, and raised his hands in a defensive position before saying, "Okay! Okay! I'll stop messin' around! Fancy clothes for Minato, I got it!"

Minato joined the two males outside the dressing room, "Can we leave now?"

Junpei jumped out of his seat and pumped his fist in the air, "NO WAY! WE SHALL NOT REST UNTIL YOU, MY FRIEND, HAVE THE MOST AWESOME SUIT EVER!"

The cobalt- haired teen shook his head, "Give it up, Junpei; we've been here for hours and we haven't found a thing."

"THAT'S JUST 'CUZ WE HAVEN'T LOOKED HARD ENOUGH YET!" Junpei exclaimed before imitating an elderly man, "YOU WHIPPER-SNAPPERS HAVE NO PATIENCE NOWADAYS! WHY, BACK IN MY DAY- OW!"

Junpei's impression was interrupted by a powerful punch to his jaw, courtesy of the boxing champion, Akihiko Sanada.

"Keep it down, will you?! We're not the only people in this store!"

"Hehehe… Sorry…" Junpei said sheepishly while stroking his jaw.

"Well! Well! Well! I never expected _you_ to be in the center of a commotion like this, Minato!" someone said.

Minato looked on curiously, "President Tanaka? I didn't know you came here."

President Tanaka chuckled, "Why, of course! I always come here to buy my suits! I have to look presentable for company meetings, after all!"

Although Akihiko seemed to be completely clueless about whom the older man was, Junpei finally pieced it together, "Oh! You're the owner of that company that makes _Tanaka's Amazing Commodities!_ Oh man, I watch that show every Sunday!"

Minato mentally groaned, "_Tell me about it… It's the same thing every week… Tanaka shows off these "deals" on products that are, more often than not, pretty useless. And because you're you, Junpei, you fall for these rip-offs, and ask someone if you can borrow some money to purchase said rip-offs. Then, because everyone in the dorm has wised up to your game, they refuse to loan you the money, and you get beat out by other morons who fall for these rip-offs… Finally, you spend a good hour harassing everyone for the loss of your "once- in- a- lifetime" opportunity to get… well… ripped- off."_

"You do, do you? Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," President Tanaka said smugly.

Minato let out a smirk, "I see your confidence is still going strong."

President Tanaka laughed, "Of course, my boy! What did you expect? Anyway, what are you doing here? I've never seen you in this store before…"

Recognizing the man to be a friend of the cobalt- haired teen, Akihiko entered the conversation, "Our school is having a dance this Saturday night; we're helping Minato get ready for it."

A smile grew on President Tanaka's face, "Ah! So you're here looking for some proper attire! Well, that is a something I can certainly help with!"

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that, President Tanaka…" Minato said.

"Nonsense! After everything you've done, a suit is the least I can do! I shall buy you the most stylish suit, made from the finest materials money can buy!"

"Uh… That's very generous, but I can't accept your offer-!"

"-without giving you his measurements…!" Junpei interrupted, obviously trying to avoid spending more of his limited funds.

"Ah, of course! Here, write them down and I'll get my stylists on it immediately!" President Tanaka handed Minato a pen and paper.

Minato sighed as he conceded, "Alright fine…"

Minato wrote down his measurements, gave them to Tanaka, and bid the company president farewell.

"So, was there anything else you two wanted to drag me to do?" Minato asked.

"Let's go get some ramen!" Junpei suggested happily.

Before Minato could answer, Akihiko turned to the capped- teen, "We can't, Junpei. We have that _thing_, remember?"

"Thing…? Oh, right! _That_ _thing_! Sorry Minato, looks like we have to get ramen some other time. See ya later!"

The two then quickly bolted out the store, not even giving the cobalt- haired teen time to respond.

_"Okay… that was… bizarre…" _thought Minato as he raised an eyebrow.

He quickly dismissed the thoughts of his friends' odd behavior as he exited the store.

A/N: Well, that's the end of chapter one. I know that was horrible place to end the chapter, but in my defense, this was originally written to be a one shot. Of course, that was before this story became 3 TIMES as long as I had predicted. So, I'll probably divide it into three chapters. I already finished the story, but I'm going to just leave this up for a while, test the waters since this is my first fanfiction. Anyway, please leave a review telling me whether you liked it or not, or if you have any suggestions. Until then, this is Lady Sinistra signing off.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alright guys, this is chapter two of my story. But before that, I just wanted to express my grattitude to you guys for reading and reviewing the first chapter. I've always been pretty insecure about my writing, so it really made my day when all of you said that you enjoyed it. It also prompted me to post the second chapter as soon as possible. And to LonelyDessert, I'm so relieved that you like this story and I hope that you'll continue to read it. So, thanks for all the support, everyone; it really means a lot to me. Now, let's get on with the story!

* * *

After leaving Minato, the boys returned to the dorm to rendezvous with Yukari and Minako, as the latter had said they needed to have a meeting to report on their "mission."

"Okay! The meeting of the _M & M Team _shall now commence!" Minako announced.

"The _M & M Team_? What's that supposed to mean?" Akihiko asked.

"It stands for Minato and Mitsuru, of course!" Minako explained, "Y'know, since we're trying to get them together!"

"And there's also the fact that you're obsessed with candy…" Yukari mocked playfully.

"Hey! I resent that!" Minako playfully glared at the brunette, "I obsess over all foods equally!"

"You can say that again…" Junpei groaned, remembering the occasions where he treated the ruby-eyed girl to a meal, and how she almost ate up all the money in his wallet.

"Anyway, let's get back to the meeting," Minako redirected, "So, how did shopping go with Minato-nii?"

"Good, I'd say. We met a man called President Tanaka, and he said that he'd get a suit for Minato," reported Akihiko.

"Oh, that's great! Tanaka-san will pick out the perfect suit for my brother! Good job, you two!"

"Well, was there ever any doubt?" Junpei said, popping his shirt collar.

Yukari rolled her eyes, "Whatever… Anyway, Minako, is that Bebe guy really going to be able to make a nice dress for Mitsuru-senpai?"

"Definitely!" Minako answered confidently, "I told you, Bebe's really talented! I wouldn't trust anyone else to help me with something this important!"

"If you say so…"

"But hey, what about the dance?" Junpei asked.

Minako raised an eyebrow, "What about it?"

"Well, sure we helped Minato and Senpai look nice, but seriously, those two are kinda awkward. What are they gonna do when they get there?" Junpei pointed out.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that…" Minako turned thoughtful.

The living room became silent as the four teens racked their brains for a solution to their friends' "romantic disabilities."

Finally, Junpei seemed to have an idea as he raised his hand and bounced in his seat like a child.

"Yes…?" Yukari asked.

Junpei cleared his throat, "Ahem… This looks like a job for Junpei Iori, Ace Detective!"

"Ugh, not this again…!" groaned Minako.

"More like Stupei, Ace Defective!" Yukari sneered, which drew a chuckle from Akihiko.

"C'mon! At least listen to my idea!" Junpei whined.

"Well then, get on with it," Akihiko signaled the teen to continue.

"Okay, how about this? All four of us go to the dance and stakeout their date. If they're doing okay, then we'll leave them alone, but if not then we'll swoop in and give 'em some tips!"

"Huh… That's actually a pretty good idea, Junpei…" Yukari said, surprised.

Akihiko was just as shocked, "Guess there really is a first time for everything…"

"Thanks!" Junpei smiled before realizing the implications, "Hey!"

"Anyway, I guess that means that we have to go get dresses, too," Minako turned to Yukari, "Wanna head to Paulownia Mall?"

Yukari nodded, "Sure, just let me put my bag up."

Yukari ascended the stairs, soon followed by Junpei who was indignantly grumbling something about girls and their weird mood swings.

While Minako was waiting for Yukari, Akihiko suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Minako?"

"Hmm?" Minako focused on her boyfriend.

Suddenly, his request for her to be his date for the dance caught in his throat, and he could feel his hands getting sweaty underneath his gloves. He turned away from her as he felt the familiar burning of embarrassment in his cheeks.

"Uh… W-well… S-s-see… I-I-I…" The boxing champ stuttered uncontrollably.

"Huh? What's wrong, Aki?"

"Uh… I-"

"Okay, Minako, I'm ready!" Yukari called as she descended the stairs.

"Oh, okay! Gotta go, Aki! I'll talk to you later!" Minako called as she and Yukari left.

Only after they closed the door did Akihiko's heart begin to slow down.

_"What was that all about?" _Akihiko wondered, _"Why couldn't I ask Minako to the dance?"_

With these thoughts circling in his mind, Akihiko went to the solitary confines of his room.

* * *

After Junpei and Akihiko abandoned Minato at the mall, he decided to spend some time roaming around. He needed some time alone to think. However, his thoughts were caught in a perpetual cycle.

_"What am I going to do?" _Minato asked himself, _"I managed to ask her to the dance, but now what? I don't know what to do at these sorts of things… And also, what should I talk to her about…? Damn it! Is dating always this difficult…? Man, what am I going to do?"_

Minato was so distracted by his internal struggle that he didn't even notice the man walking in front of him until it was too late…

"Oh! I'm sorry, sir. Are you alright?" Minato reached down to help the man off the floor.

"These damn kids these days, never paying attention…" the man bitterly muttered, "Hey kid! Why don't you watch where you're…? Huh? It's you!"

Minato finally recognized the man, "Mutatsu- san?"

Mutatsu smiled, "Well, long time, no see! How've ya been?"

"I'm good," Minato smiled slightly, "But what are you doing here this early Mutatsu-san?"

"Early? What are you talking about, kid? It's 10:30!"

Minato quickly checked his watch, and it was indeed 10:30 PM. He must have been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't realize nighttime had already come.

"Right… Sorry…"

Mutatsu chuckled, "Okay, kid… What's going on?"

"What? Nothing's going on…"

"Heheh! Your poker face is failing you, kid! I can tell something's eatin' ya!"

The teen averted his gaze, not saying a word.

"Hmm… Let me guess… It's about a girl, right?"

After that, Minato could definitely feel his mask fall as he asked, surprised, "How did you know that?"

Mutatsu laughed heartily, "'Cuz I was the same way when I met my wife! And besides, there ain't nothin' that vexes a man more than a woman."

_"So true…"_ Minato inwardly agreed.

"So what's goin' on between you and this girl, huh?" Mutatsu asked.

Minato was hesitant to actually confide in Mutatsu, even though he considered him to be a good friend. Other than the usual reluctance that stems from his guarded nature, Mutatsu wasn't the ideal person for Minato to confide in. When they first met, Mutatsu was just a cynical, bitter, and usually drunk old monk. However, after having some deep talks between himself, the monk, and Minako, he noticed a change in Mutatsu. He had a new determination to find his wife and kid, who left him, and rebuild his family again. He's even stopped going to Club Escapade and is trying to quit smoking. Seeing how much Mutatsu's changed, Minato gained newfound respect and admiration for the monk.

This caused him to seek out the monk's experience and advice.

"Well, my school is having a dance this Saturday night," Minato began, "And I already asked someone to go with me, but…"

"…But you're worried you're somehow going to mess it up, right?" Mutatsu asked.

Minato nodded.

Mutatsu sighed, "Yeah, that's rough… But, I wouldn't worry too much about that."

Minato was now completely lost, "What do you mean?"

"Just be yourself and you'll see what I mean," Mutatsu chuckled.

_"Well, that was no help at all," _Minato mentally sighed.

"But… I do know something that might help…" Mutatsu said.

Minato's eyebrow rose curiously, "Really? What's that?"

"Buy her a gift. That 'ought to score you some points with her," Mutatsu suggested.

_"I guess it couldn't hurt…" _Minato thought before saying, "Okay then, thanks, Mutasu- san."

"Hold up, kid! I'm comin' with you!"

"Huh? Why?"

"To make sure ya don't get her a crappy gift, that's why!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Minato replied sarcastically.

Mutatsu laughed, "Let's just go, alright? So, where to first, kid?"

Minato scanned the surrounding stores, wondering which one he should venture into. Eventually becoming frustrated, he just walked into the first store he saw, not even looking at the name.

"Uh… You sure you wanna come in _here_?" Mutatsu asked, slightly confused.

Minato realized that he had walked right into Shinshoudo Antiques, the store where he obtain many of the team's weapons.

"Ah! Welcome back!" the owner of the store greeted him. She then looked quizzically at Mutatsu, probably wondering why he would bring someone outside of the team to her store.

"You come here often? Not a place where kids usually hang out," stated Mutatsu.

"Well, you've always said that I was an unusual kid," Minato replied vaguely, trying to prevent the monk from ascertaining the real reason for his visits to the store.

"That's true. Both you and your sister are a piece of work," Mutatsu chuckled before addressing the owner, "Don't mind us, we're just looking for a gift for his girlfriend!"

Minato whipped around, "She's not my girlfriend."

As Minato began to explore the less violent merchandise the store had, he was certain that he heard Mutatsu mutter the words, "Not _yet_."

After scanning the shelves, he still had not seen anything he thought Mitsuru would like. He was just about to give up and leave with Mutatsu until...

"Huh?"

A red glimmer caught his eye, and as he went closer to the shelf, he saw this beautiful, traditional comb. It was black with rose designs of many shades of red, and at the top was a flower with red and black petals. The glimmer he saw came from the tiny rubies in the flower's center. Minato was captivated by the antique, and he couldn't help but think that it would be perfect for Mitsuru.

"We'll take this one, miss!" Mutatsu announced while grabbing the comb, snapping Minato out of his trance.

"Huh? Wait, Mutatsu- san…!" Minato began to protest.

After handing the comb off to the owner, Mutatsu spun around and said, "Don't even think about arguing with me, kid. I don't know which argument you're gonna make so I'll just answer both. First off, if it's about the money, don't worry about it; this one's on me. And, I know that I don't have to do this, but I want to, since you an' your sister helped me turn my life around. Second, if you're worried 'bout giving her a gift like this, don't worry 'bout that either. You like the thing, and since she likes you, she'll like it, too. Trust me."

Once Mutatsu's words sunk in, Minato decided that he had a point, and even if he didn't, the monk was far too stubborn to accept "no" for an answer.

"Alright," Minato sighed, before smiling and saying, "Thanks, Mutatsu-san."

Mutatsu chuckled as he paid for the comb, "Don't mention it. Go get your girl, kid."

Minato just shook his head and chuckled as the two exited the store. Mutatsu gave him the bagged comb and bid the cobalt-haired teen farewell. Minato started on his way back to the dorm, feeling very grateful that he has such good friends.

* * *

"Aah… That's the good stuff…!" Junpei sighed contently.

After spending a few hours spamming on his favorite video game, Junpei finally came out of his room for a refreshing Cielo Mist. As he returned to his room, he heard Akihiko talking very loudly in his room. His curiosity got the best of him as he leaned against the door to hear clearly.

"Argh! Damn it! Why can't I do this!?" He heard Akihiko angrily yell, "It's just a dance, so why the hell am I struggling?!"

Junpei heard what he thought was the rustling of papers coming from the room.

"Let's see…" hummed Akihiko, "_How to ask a Girl to Prom_…"

_"Oh man, he's goin' to cheesy teenage magazines_ _for_ _help!?" _Junpei thought, while snickering at his upperclassman's pathetic dating skills, _"Man, I can't believe I used to think he was a ladies' man!"_

Suddenly, the door to Akihiko's room flew open, hitting Junpei in the face and knocking him on his derriere.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Akihiko angrily shouted.

Junpei groaned painfully before chuckling, "I think I was listening to you _fail _at trying to ask Mina-tan to the prom."

"SHUT UP!" Akihiko commanded as he dragged the capped- teen into his room, shutting the door behind him, "Someone'll hear you!"

"Relax, Senpai, Mina-tan's still out looking for a dress with Yuka-tan!" Junpei reassured.

"Yeah, but Ken or Mitsuru might hear you, so keep it down!" growled Akihiko.

"Alright, alright," Junpei chuckled, "But at least let me help you ask Mina-tan to the dance; you definitely need it!"

Akihiko sighed, "Fine… I guess it's better than a magazine… So, what should I do…?"

Junpei threw him a confident smile as he pumped his fist in the air and declared, "YOU JUST GOTTA WALK RIGHT UP TO HER, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND SAY, "WILL YOU GO TO THE DANCE WITH ME?"

Once the boxing champ heard Junpei's solution, he felt the intense urge to unleash his entire repertoire of punches and blows upon the teen. He controlled his temper by clenching both of his fists and said in a rage-laced voice, "If I could do that, THEN I WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM!"

Junpei completely deflated as his arm returned to his side and his smile faded, "Oh… Right…"

Akihiko folded his arms as he waited silently for Junpei's next _brilliant _idea. Junpei started stroking his chin thoughtfully, thinking of a way to help his friend with his romantic dilemma.

"Hey! We're back!" the two heard Minako call from the dorm's lounge.

"Okay, let's go, Senpai!" Junpei said as he started to leave Akihiko's room.

"Huh? Wait, what are you going to do?"

"_You're _going to ask Mina-tan to go with you to the dance," Junpei replied. Before Akihiko could protest, he reassured, "Don't worry, Senpai! This time I'll be there to back you up, just like before at Operation Babe Hunt! If you start to choke, I'll just swoop in to help! Now, c'mon!"

Before Akihiko could stop him, Junpei was already running down the stairs to greet the girls. With a heavy sigh, Akihiko followed him, trying to calm the nervousness that resurfaced from his last attempt to ask Minako out.

"Hey, ladies! Found some dresses?" Junpei asked the girls.

"Man, why're you so happy?" Yukari asked.

"Oh, no reason…" Junpei replied, his huge grin not convincing anyone.

"Oh! But we found some really great ones!" Minako said, holding up a shopping bag.

"Really…?" Junpei queried as he attempted to look in the bag.

"Uh-uh! No way!" Minako rejected as she pulled the bag away, "These are gonna be a surprise! It's bad luck to see a girl in her dress before the big day!"

"Minako, that's only with brides on their wedding day," Yukari pointed out.

"Shh!"

"Whatever… But anyway, wasn't there something you wanted to ask Mina-tan, Akihiko-senpai?" Junpei turned to Akihiko, as did the girls.

"Um… Well… M-M-Minako…?" Akihiko began.

"Yes…?" Minako urged him to continue.

"Uh… I-I-I was t-t-thinking that m-m-maybe… um…" Akihiko stammered.

Seeing that his friend needed help, Junpei intervened, "Akihiko- senpai was just thinking that we would attract too much attention at the dance if all four of us hung around each other. So, we should split into two teams: me and Yuka-tan, Mina-tan and Senpai."

"Well, I guess that makes sense. Fine by me," Minako nodded, "Yukari?"

"I guess, but I'm not thrilled at being paired with Stupei…"

"Great!" Junpei said, before realizing what Yukari said, "HEY!"

Minako giggled, "C'mon Yukari, I'll help you pick your accessories, if you help me pick mine."

"Sure!" Yukari accepted as the girls went upstairs.

"Those girls…" Junpei sighed before turning to Akihiko, "See, Senpai? I told you I had your back!"

"Right…" Akihiko said feeling oddly unsatisfied.

Junpei detected this as he said, "Hmm? What's wrong, Senpai? You're goin' to the dance with Mina-tan!"

"Yeah, I know…" Akihiko said as he returned to his room, wondering why he feels so disappointed.

"MAN, NOBODY APPRECIATES ME!" Junpei yelled as he returned to his own room.

* * *

"Tonight's the night!" Junpei happily declared.

"Yeah, but what's taking the girls so long?" Akihiko asked, tapping his foot impatiently.

Akihiko and Junpei were waiting for Minako and Yukari in the dorm's lounge, dressed in their "suits." Akihiko, not owning a normal tuxedo, decided to go with the butler outfit that he sometimes wore when he fought in Tartarus. It consisted of long black slacks and a black blazer. A white undershirt was peeking out behind Akihiko's signature red vest. The outfit was completed with a black tie, white gloves, and oddly enough, glasses, which he normally didn't wear.

Unlike Akihiko, Junpei hardly dressed up at all. He wore the Gekkoukan uniform slacks and blazer, with the same matching black shoes. However, he did remove the Gekkoukan crest and his royal blue baseball hat, showing his extremely short, black hair.

"You know girls… They always take forever to get ready… Not like us guys. We can get ready like _that_!" Junpei snapped his fingers.

"That's because, unlike you, we actually want to look nice!" Yukari countered as she and Minako descended the stairs.

"Hey! I do look nice, Yuka -whoa…!" Junpei's argument was cut short as he gawked at the two girls, blushing along with Akihiko.

"Well? What do you think, boys?" Minako asked charmingly as she and Yukari posed.

"You guys… You guys look hot…" Junpei answered dumbly. All Akihiko could manage was a numb nod.

The girls' giggled at the boys' reactions, slightly blushing from embarrassment. Yukari's dress was hot pink, a somewhat predictable choice since everyone knew it was her favorite color. However, there was a black ribbon tied in a bow around her waist, matching the black gloves that reached up to her elbows. Pink bracelets adorned both of her wrists, and pink heels lifted her feet. She also wore her signature heart choker around her neck, but instead of the usual white color, this one was pink.

As for Minako, she was a vision of white. Her dress was as white as snow, with ruffles past her white waistband. She wore white gloves that went up to her elbows, too. She also changed from her normal hairstyle of a high ponytail and silver pins to wearing it down on her shoulders. However, she wore a white headband, topped with flowers, to keep her hair out of her eyes.

"Ugh… Men…" Yukari rolled her eyes, still smiling, "Stop staring at us, and focus, you two!"

"Uh… Right…!" the two males said, snapping out of their trance.

"Alright, so here's the plan," Minako began, "Aki and I will be the main team, tasked with offering advice to Minato-nii and Mitsuru-senpai, if they need it. Junpei, you and Yukari are the reserve team, assigned to play defense. If anything is about to go wrong, we're counting on you two to handle it. Understood?"

The trio nodded.

"Okay, then let's go," Minako commanded, "We have to get there early to do some recon!"

As Minako led the way outside Junpei said, "Man, Mina-tan's treatin' this like a real operation…"

"Says the guy who made an operation out of picking up girls!" Akihiko shot back.

"Hey! That was an important operation!" Junpei weakly defended.

"One that I heard failed," Yukari snickered.

"Shut up!" Junpei said before jogging away from his snickering friends.

Minako yelled back, "Hurry up, guys! We have to get there before _they_ do!"

* * *

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was nervous. Mitsuru was doing one last inspection in the mirror before going to meet Minato downstairs. This afternoon, she had gone to pick up the completed dress from Bebe at the boutique. Even though she had had her doubts, the dress was perfect, both in size and in style. He had even thrown in some heels to match, no charge. Even after she assured him that it wasn't necessary, he insisted she take them, stating that any friend of the twins was a friend of his. She thanked the Frenchman for his assistance and generosity before heading to the dorm to get ready.

Mitsuru's style being different from her underclassman definitely translated into a difference in their dresses. While the other two wore pink and white, Mitsuru's dress was black. The top of the dress was strapless, except for the thick ones that hugged her upper arms. The rest of it clung to her form, but not in a way that was uncomfortable. The end of it ended in small waves at her knees. To complement and add some color to her outfit, she wore ruby bracelets, earrings, and a necklace. After putting on some red lipstick, she was finally satisfied with her appearance and made her way downstairs.

On the first floor, Minato was trying to calm his own nerves. Tanaka had gotten the teen a standard black and white tuxedo. The only additions were black suede shoes, and a black fedora with a white band around it. Minato happened to like the outfit; when it came to fashion he preferred to keep things simple. Although the fact that he liked it didn't stop him from fiddling with it every five seconds out of anxiety. The piece that got the most abuse was his bowtie, which for some reason, refused to form a proper knot.

"Arisato, are you ready?" Mitsuru called as she walked down the stairs.

Still trying to fix his tie Minato said, "Yeah, I just need a…" He trailed off, finally noticing Mitsuru's appearance. Then, he felt a foreign heat rise into his face. Oh Hell, he was blushing! He quickly refocused his attention to his tie as he tried to banish the red from his face.

Unbeknownst to him, Mitsuru was trying to do the same thing. While having her male peers gawk at her was a pretty usual occurrence, having the cobalt-haired teen do it gave her the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in her stomach. It also didn't help that she was thinking about how handsome he looked in his suit.

After fixing his tie and calming down slightly, Minato said awkwardly, "Um… You look nice…"

"Oh… Thank you… As do you…" Mitsuru replied, feeling just as awkward.

"Thanks…"

A heavy silence enveloped the two teens.

"Um… We should get going…" Minato suggested, opening the door for Mitsuru.

Mitsuru nodded as she walked through the doorway, followed by Minato.

"_This is going to be a long night,"_ the pair worriedly thought as they made their way to the school.

* * *

A/N: That's it for chapter two. I hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter will be the last, where everyone arrives at the dance and such... So I hope you all will look forward to it! Please reveiw and let me know what you think of this chapter or of any suggestions you thought up while reading it! Until then, this is Lady Sinistra signing off.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the late update, everyone. There was Halloween, and then cramming for my Chemistry test, and going to my friend's birthday party, so I just never got around to it. Anyway, like I said last time this'll be the last chapter. I just wanted to thank all those who reviewed and favorited this story. It really encourages me to try and keep writing fanfictions. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the ending chapter!

* * *

"Whoa! They sure went all-out for this dance!" Junpei said, admiring the decorations.

Apparently, the Student Council had decided on a "Starry Night" theme, as the gymnasium had silver and gold crescent moons and stars taped to the walls. There was also confetti with the same shape strewn across the white-covered tables and on the floor. They even went the extra mile and hung stars from the ceiling. And to top it all off, they had a few of the gym's lights on, causing the decorations to reflect the light, making them shine even brighter.

"They sure did; this place is beautiful!" Yukari agreed.

"Hey, Minako- san, do you mind helping us set up this food?" a student council member called.

"Oh sure, no problem!" Minako called back.

"Huh? But what about the operation?" Junpei asked.

Minako waved her hand dismissively, "We don't need to worry about that right now! Minato-nii and Mitsuru-senpai aren't even here yet!"

"But didn't you say we had to get here early to do some recon?" asked Akihiko.

Minako rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Yeah… About that… The Council kinda needs more help setting up… So I told them I'd get some volunteers… So…"

The trio of "volunteers" felt their mouths fall open, completely appalled.

Yukari pointed an accusing finger at her best friend, "You mean… You lied to us… And dragged us to the dance this early… so you could make us set up?!"

Minako sheepishly chuckled, "Yeah… That about sums it up…"

"What?! Ya gotta be kiddin' me! That's seriously messed up, Mina- tan…" Junpei groaned.

"Well, what else was I supposed to do?! You guys wouldn't have helped me if I had asked you straight out!" Minako defended.

"That's no excuse!" Yukari said.

Akihiko stepped in, "Let it go, guys… We're here now, so we might as well help out. It looks like the other members already did most of the work, so it shouldn't be too bad."

Yukari sighed, "Yeah, I guess your right… But you're treating me tomorrow to some cake at the sweet shop, Minako. That'll be your punishment for tricking us!"

Minako smiled and nodded, "You got it."

"Hey! What about me?!" Junpei whined, "Mina-tan, as your punishment to _me_, you have to treat me to… Um…"

"Nah, I think my cake is a good enough punishment," Yukari rejected as she and the others went to help set up.

"What?! Why do you get to have food, but I don't?!" Junpei called after her. When he didn't receive a response, he sighed, "Aw, forget it…" as he went to help carry in some food.

* * *

By the time Minato and Mitsuru arrived, the dance had already started and was packed with students. All of them were eating, dancing, and having a good time.

Seeing this, Minato smiled slightly, "It looks like the dance is a huge success, Senpai."

"Indeed. It seems like they're enjoying themselves," Mitsuru commented with a smile.

As they walked further in, they noticed that there were quite a few people staring at them.

This instantly brought back the awkward atmosphere between the two, as they tried to ignore some of the stares (and even some glares) that were thrown their way. They moved off to the side, trying to divert some attention away from them. While it had some success, it still didn't erase the uncomfortable silence between them.

Minato decided to break the silence, "So… who thought it be a good idea to have a dance…?"

"Hm…?" Mitsuru looked toward Minato before answering with a soft smile, "Actually, it was Fushimi's idea."

Now that surprised him. He never would have guessed that the dance was Chihiro's idea. When Minato first met the girl, Chihiro was easily startled and deathly shy. He had, at first, attributed it to the fact that he was a complete stranger to her. However, he quickly realized that it had less to do with him, and more to do with her own issues. Chihiro was very insecure in many aspects of her life, including her position in Student Council. Not only that, she seemed to have a lot of trouble talking with others, particularly men. Other than that last part, the girl actually reminded Minato a lot of himself when he was younger. That's the main reason why Minato went to many lengths to reach out to her, despite being a fairly introverted person himself. Over time, though, his efforts paid off. Chihiro gradually became more comfortable around him, and with his support, gained more confidence. The biggest proof of that was when she confronted the teacher who used field trip money for personal reasons. After that, she became confident enough to speak up a lot more in Council meetings.

Minato closed his eyes and smiled, proud of how much his friend has grown throughout the year.

Mitsuru chuckled, "You seemed to have had a large influence on her, Arisato."

"Huh?" Minato shook his head, "You're giving me far too much credit. Chihiro was the one who was working so hard."

Even though he claimed he didn't do much, Mitsuru knew better. She had realized Chihiro Fushimi's issues shortly after meeting the girl in Student Council, not to mention Hidetoshi Odagiri's. They were part of the reason she wanted to involve the cobalt-haired teen in the council, since she believed that the teen was good enough at reading people and was smart enough to handle any major problems the two ran into. However, just as he had done so many times before, Minato Arisato exceeded her expectations. From what she could tell, he not only helped the two resolve their dilemmas, but he also helped them grow into much stronger people. She found it amazing that the teen seemed to have such a large effect on people. And, if she was being honest with herself, he was also having an effect on Mitsuru herself.

"Anyway," Minato continued, "I'm a little surprised that the principal agreed to this. I mean, he shot down the Council's request for another culture festival before."

Mitsuru chuckled, "Well, I managed to _persuade_ him…"

"And how did you do that exactly?" Minato asked, already having an idea.

"There are some things you're better off not knowing, Arisato..." was her enigmatic reply.

Minato chuckled, albeit a bit uneasily, "I'll take your word for it…"

They both shared a small smile. This was one of the things he loved about spending time with Mitsuru. Whether their conversations lasted for hours or even a few seconds, he always felt this inexplicable sense of happiness. He found just being in her presence was comforting. It seemed that the more time they spent together, the more he wanted it to last.

The two teens were brought out of their trance as they heard the loud and familiar arguing between a certain pair…

"JUNPEI! SAVE SOME FOOD FOR EVERYONE ELSE!" Yukari yelled at Junpei, who was currently stuffing his face.

Junpei replied, his mouth full, "Give me a break, Yuka- tan! I deserve this after moving all that stuff! I'm not a pack mule, y'know!"

"Well, you're sure eating like one," Yukari's face twisted in disgust, "And don't talk with your mouth full! That's just gross!"

Junpei's only response was leaning in towards the brunette and opening his mouth, practically shoving the chewed food in her face. Yukari's eyes widened as she jumped back with a yelp, causing Junpei to burst into laughter. The brunette's face flushed red from embarrassment before quickly turning to anger as she lunged at the teen. Junpei, realizing the imminent danger, began to run like the wind, with Yukari in hot pursuit.

Minato wondered if he should intervene, but dismissed the thought immediately; when it came to Yukari and Junpei, it was best to just let things run its course. He could see that Mitsuru came to a similar conclusion as she sighed and shook her head, but made no attempt to stop their friends.

He chuckled before addressing the redhead again, "Well, I better go get us some food before Junpei can get to it."

"Hm…? Oh, you don't have to do that…"

"Don't worry about it. It'd be my pleasure," Minato smiled softly before heading over to the concession table.

Mitsuru couldn't help but smile at the cobalt-haired teen's thoughtfulness and compassion. However, the smile didn't last long as her phone vibrated and she looked at the caller ID.

She sighed before answering, "Hello?"

"Ah, Mitsuru, I have some good news," a slimy, snobbish voice said, "I managed to finish work early, so I've decided that you'll have dinner with me."

Although his rudeness irritated her, this man was her fiancé, so she knew that her reply had to be courteous.

"That's very kind of you, but I already have another engagement."

She heard him chuckle in disbelief, "What…? Come now, Mitsuru; I'm sure it's not as important as having dinner with your fiancé. Besides wouldn't you rather eat at a luxurious restaurant, in my company no less, than do… whatever it is you're doing?"

Honestly, that's the last thing she wanted to do. She held no romantic feelings for this man whatsoever, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to have any friendly feelings either. However, marrying this man was for the good of the Kirijo Group, so it is her obligation to do so. But as for this moment, she had already made a commitment with Arisato to come to the dance and it would be disgraceful if she went back on it.

…At least, those were the reasons she was telling herself why she didn't want to leave. Regardless, she had to think of a way to turn down her fiancé's offer, without angering him and jeopardizing the Kirijo Group.

Meanwhile…

"Looks like they're doing okay," Minako commented, watching the couple, oblivious to Mitsuru's conversation on the phone.

"Yeah…" Akihiko said dispassionately.

The _"M & M Team"_ had begun their operation and split into pairs. Although, it seems that Yukari and Junpei are preoccupied by one of their usual arguments. So it looked like it was up to Minako and Akihiko to observe the "targets."

Minako, noticing Akihiko's sullen tone, turned to him, "Huh? What's the matter, Aki?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing…" Akihiko replied, forcing a smile.

In truth, Akihiko was still bothered by how they ended up at the dance. It wasn't really the fact that this was mainly an "operation." It was the fact that he needed to make up an excuse to get his girlfriend to be his date for the dance. …Technically, it was Junpei who made the excuse, but that only made the boxer feel worse about himself. He definitely didn't want Minako to know about how much he was struggling just to ask her out, so he tried to play it off as best he could.

Unfortunately for him, Minako wasn't convinced. The girl was a natural at reading people, and Akihiko didn't have as good a poker face as she and her brother did. Besides that, she also has gotten to know the silver-haired teen quite well over the year, so she liked to think that that had also attributed to her ease in reading his emotions.

Minako folded her arms as she prodded him for an answer, "Come on… Tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing. I'm fine, really…"

"Aki…" Minako urged him gently, with a look of concern on her face.

Damn it… He hated it when she looked at him like that. Whenever those ruby-red eyes of hers softened like that… He just seemed to lose all control over his mouth as he confesses all of his darkest secrets, even the ones he's not sure that he wants her to know. And when she said her special nickname for him like that, it completely shattered his defenses.

Just as he was about to concede, Minako whipped her head around at hearing a smug and obnoxious voice, "Hey, Arisato!"

Akihiko looked in the direction his girlfriend did and saw that it was a young man who called out. However, he wasn't talking to Minako; he was talking to her brother, a couple meters away at the concession table. The young man had light brown hair, similar to Takeba's. It was very short, other than the bangs that covered his forehead and swept to the left. He was fairly tall, being the same height as the boxer himself, but nowhere near as strong and intimidating. Although, the four young men travelling behind him helped make up the difference. He could tell from a glance that this student wasn't a friend of the cobalt-haired teen, and he decided to listen in on their conversation.

"So, Arisato, I must admit I'm surprised to see you here," the brunet stated casually.

Minato said nothing to the young man. Akihiko could see the gears turning in his friend's mind as he analyzed the student. When he looked over at his girlfriend, he could see her doing the same, although she did it with narrowed eyes and an angry scowl.

This only added to the senior's curiosity about the brunet's identity, so he decided to take the direct approach, "Who's that?"

Without taking her eyes off of the scene before them, Minako answered, "Toshiro Noboru."

"Hmm?" Akihiko didn't recognize the name.

"He's a junior in our class," Minako explained, "He's also a huge asshole."

Akihiko's eyes widened; it was rare for the brunette to hold such disdain for a person. He couldn't help but wonder what this underclassman had done to merit such a reaction. Before he could ask though, he heard the brunet speak again.

"And I see that you came here with Mitsuru-senpai. Now how did you manage to pull that off? What, did you say it was for the Student Council?" he chuckled mockingly at Minato.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Noboru, but that's not the case," Minato replied.

"Yeah, I bet he probably bribed her or something, right Toshi?" sneered one of the lackeys.

"Nah, she probably just took pity on him, right Toshi?" another said smugly.

"Hmm… Those are both very likely… Well, Arisato, which one is it?"

Ugh, just seeing Noboru made Minako want to vomit. Toshiro Noboru was a 2nd-year in the same class as the twins. At first, she didn't really understand Noboru's hatred of her brother, since there hadn't been an incident before between the two teens. However, Junpei, her source to the rumor mill at Gekkoukan High, shared some information that cleared it up for her. Toshiro Noboru had apparently been one of the most popular people in their grade, and also the smartest. And with his _supposed _good looks he had managed to capture the hearts of many of the girls. However, that all changed as soon as she and her brother arrived. Minato's mysterious attitude and Minako's positive disposition helped them gain popularity at an alarming rate. And their intelligence allowed them to claim the two top grades after every exam, knocking Noboru down to third. And if her brother's admirers and the people who Junpei said was interested in her were any indication, they had no trouble in attracting the opposite sex.

But, what really puzzled her was that Noboru had never shown any animosity towards her because of it, beyond being the cobalt-haired teen's sister. So, why Minato? When she asked her brother about it, he told her of the first encounter the two had. To make a long story short, Toshiro Noboru was attracted to Mitsuru Kirijo. His _brilliant _plan to be noticed by the heiress started with him getting the top score in his grade on the exams, but the twins completely decimated that plan.

However, Minako suspected that the real issue Noboru had with Minato is that the teen had already been noticed by their senpai, in only a few days, no less. She had invited him to the Council, lived at the same dorm, and talked numerous times at school, where Noboru and his followers could see them. He probably thought that Minato Arisato was the only obstacle separating him from the redhead, so he must have decided that the best course of action was to be a huge pain in the ass to the cobalt-haired teen. Although, in Minako's eyes, Mitsuru-senpai would never accept him as a potential suitor if he acted like that. But, whether he succeeded or not, the brunet had caused her brother more than enough trouble throughout the year. There were many times she just wanted to tell Mitsuru- senpai in order to make him stop (and also to screw him over). However, Minato prevented her from doing so, probably not wanting to involve the redhead in something so petty and idiotic, since she already has enough on her plate. While Minako agreed with his reasoning and liked how considerate he was, it still didn't erase the hatred she felt towards Noboru and the worry for her brother.

Minato, deciding to ignore the group's taunts, said nothing, and began to walk away, with food in hand. However, two of Noboru's flunkies moved and blocked his path, while the other two boxed him in on the sides. Minako was beginning to worry that a fight would break out right then, but Minato simply turned around and shot a piercing glare at Noboru.

Noboru just smiled back wickedly, before saying, "Going somewhere?"

The brunet's supporters chuckled.

"Move," Minato commanded.

"Why in such a rush?" Noboru chuckled before frowning and glaring at his nemesis, "Trying to get back to Mitsuru-senpai, huh?"

"Move," Minato repeated, unfazed by how close the brunet had moved toward him.

"Why don't you move, _away_ from Mitsuru-senpai," Noboru countered, "It's not like you two would even make good couple."

Minato kept silent.

"I mean, really. You both are completely different; you're not even in the same grade."

Minato kept silent, fighting the urge to say that the same applies to him.

Perhaps knowing what the cobalt-haired teen was thinking, Noboru said, "At least _I_ have the qualities that Senpai looks for in a man."

Akihiko and Minako couldn't help but snort at the statement, feeling _certain_ that it was false. Minato just shook his head, an amused smirk on his face.

Clearly upset by the reaction, Noboru changed tactics, "Besides, it's obvious that she would never consider _you_ for that position."

Now _that_ sobered them up. Minato looked down at the ground, a part of him feeling that Noboru was correct. Minako began to really worry about her brother; few things could faze him, but saying something like _that_ definitely did.

The brunet, seeing that he finally hit a nerve, continued the attack, "Mitsuru-senpai is in an entirely different class, one much superior to that of an _ordinary_ _orphan_. I'm sorry, but it's doubtful that she would think of you in that way. I'm sure the thought never even crossed her mind. Accept the facts, Arisato; she's success and you're failure. No matter what you say, no matter what you do, _that_ will never change."

Every word Noboru said pierced Minato like a thousand arrows, opening up all of his old wounds. Part of him wanted to deny it, to say that he was wrong, but that part was completely overshadowed by the part of him that had told him the same thing many times before.

That's it, Minako had heard enough. It was bad enough that this douche bag was interfering with her brother's date, but to take advantage of his personal weaknesses? Now, that was going too far, and she wasn't going to just stand there and watch.

"Leave him alone, Noboru!"

"Hmm…? Well, if it isn't the other Arisato. What, do you need your younger sister to fight for you?"

"Says the guy who can't even walk up to him without his flunkies to back him up!"

"Why don't you stay the hell out of this!?" he yelled at her angrily.

"Want to say that again?" Akihiko growled at him as he joined the group.

Akihiko didn't receive an explanation for what was going on, but based on the conversation, he had a pretty good idea, and he didn't like it one bit. Even though he didn't know the brunet and had no reason to hate him, he had insulted his friend and yelled at his girlfriend, and that was reason enough for him.

Recognizing the senior as the boxing champion, Noboru hesitated to say anything for fear of discovering how the boxer got the title firsthand.

Before the situation could escalate any further, Toriumi- sensei appeared at the microphone and addressed everyone.

"Attention, everyone! It's time to announce the king and queen of the dance!"

The whole dance became silent as a drum roll began and Toriumi-sensei pulled a piece of paper out of an envelope she was holding.

When the drum roll concluded, she smiled and declared, "Akihiko Sanada and Mitsuru Kirijo!"

Well, Minako couldn't say that she was surprised. While she and her brother were popular, everyone knew that it was the two seniors who ruled the school. Akihiko was the undefeated boxing champion and, in the words of Junpei Iori, a "chick magnet." Mitsuru was the Student Council President and the brightest student in school. They were both admired by most (if not all) of the student body. Frankly speaking, she would've been more shocked if they _hadn't _won.

Thunderous applause filled the gymnasium as all the students cheered for the new royalty. A blinding spotlight shined down on Akihiko and the group while another one moved to the Kirijo heiress who was still talking on the phone with her fiancé. It was clear that the two weren't expecting the announcement at all and quickly became uncomfortable when they suddenly became the center of attention.

"Come on up you two! Don't be shy!" Toriumi-sensei encouraged, motioning them to join her on the stage.

Akihiko was reluctant to leave Minako. After all, they were in the middle of something rather important. However, when he looked toward his girlfriend for a suggestion on what to do, she smiled at him and motioned for him to go on. Before he could utter any kind of protest, some of the surrounding students came and forced him toward Toriumi- sensei, along with Mitsuru.

Toriumi- sensei presented them both with a bouquet of flowers and black sashes with red lettering reading "King" and "Queen." The cheering from the students intensified. Akihiko wasn't accustomed to this sort of thing so he quickly looked to his friend beside him, pleading for help. She met his gaze and understood, taking the lead by smiling slightly and waving to the audience. Akihiko mimicked her actions, albeit more forced and awkward.

Minako giggled at her boyfriend; even when he's awkward, she still found him absolutely adorable. She looked toward her brother to see how he reacted to the development, before noticing that both he and Noboru's group were gone.

"Huh? Where did they go…?" Minako muttered as she scanned the crowd.

She didn't see her brother anywhere. She weaved her way through the crowd, searching for his signature cobalt hair, but with no success. Then, snide laughter pierced her ears, and she rushed toward its location to find Noboru and his cronies, looking very triumphant. Minako's anger returned immediately as she marched up to the clique.

"What did you do?!" she threw at Noboru.

"Oh, hello Arisato-chan, it's a lovely night, isn't it?" the snake replied, self-contentedly.

This only infuriated Minako even more, "What did you say to my brother?!"

He chuckled and answered simply, "Nothing that wasn't true."

As much as she wanted to open up a can of whoop-ass on the jerk, she was more concerned about her brother. Ugh, she should've never taken her eyes off of them! She began her search for him again, but wasn't having any better luck than before.

Akihiko breathed a sigh of relief. The spotlight had finally been taken off of him and Mitsuru as the dance resumed; he was glad that he didn't have to keep standing on the stage, looking like an idiot. He looked over toward the concession table, trying to see if Minako and Minato were alright, but he didn't see them. He used the height of the stage as a vantage point while his eyes wandered the crowd, looking for the twins. He spotted Minako looking around furiously, probably searching for Minato. He decided to look for the cobalt-haired teen as well. After a few seconds, he finally spotted the teen near the door, about to leave. What that Noboru guy said must have really wounded him, not that Akihiko could blame him; if someone said those things to him regarding his feelings for Minako, he probably wouldn't have taken it very well, either.

"Mitsuru!" Akihiko called as the redhead was leaving the stage.

"Hm…? What is it, Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked as Akihiko approached her.

While Akihiko usually tried to choose his words carefully when he brought up Mitsuru's feelings for their leader, he didn't have time to worry about that right now, "You need to tell Minato how you feel about him."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he watched as Mitsuru's demeanor completely changed, with her eyes glaring at him coldly and an annoyed scowl finding its way to her face.

"I've told you before, Akihiko; I _will_ execute you if you—"

"There's no time for that now!" Akihiko interrupted, refusing to back down, "I can't explain it, but Minato's going through a really rough time… If you want to execute me, then fine, but he needs someone to reassure him and I think that someone _has_ to be you."

"I…" He watched the Kirijo heiress fall silent, not knowing what to say. He could tell that she was considering his words and weighing what the best course of action would be. This was just like her… Mitsuru always tried to control the situation, usually preparing and choosing the path with the best possible outcome with the least amount of risk. While this was an impressive trait and one that had helped SEES innumerable times, Akihiko also felt that it held Mitsuru back in certain situations. She was hesitant about going after the cobalt-haired teen because she couldn't predict what might happen if she did. Although Akihiko couldn't give her an answer, he _could_ push her to go and find out for herself. After all, he knew that all the logic and reason in the world wouldn't help her when it came to the emotions she was feeling. He learned that through experience after meeting Minako.

"Go after him, Mitsuru… Sometimes, you just have to take a chance and hope for the best," Akihiko gently advised.

Mitsuru contemplated for a second before realizing that Akihiko had a point. While she hasn't entirely sorted out her feelings for the cobalt-haired teen, she did know that he was important to her. And even with everything she had on her plate—like Nyx and her arranged marriage—there was something she wanted to make certain the teen knew.

She left the stage in order to find her date, but not before turning back to her closest friend, "…Akihiko… Thank you…"

Akihiko only nodded, a soft smile gracing his face, before pointing the redhead in the direction that Minato had left. After he saw the heiress disappear into the crowd, he thought back on his own words. His embarrassment and fear had kept him from being honest with Minako about what he was feeling. In retrospect, it all seems silly, since he's shared far more embarrassing things with the brunette, even before they started dating. Akihiko decided that it was time he took his own advice and take a chance.

He meandered his way through the crowd after spotting the brunette, "Minako!"

She turned around once she heard his voice, "Oh, Aki! Did you find Minato yet?"

"Even better," Akihiko smiled, "I sent Mitsuru to go talk to him. Everything should work out from there."

He saw her breathe a sigh of relief, "Good… I was really getting worried… Well, _more_ worried…"

"Speaking of being worried, can I tell you something?"

"Oh, that's right! We were supposed to talk before Noburo showed up!" Her expression turned apologetic, "I'm sorry, Aki… What did you want to tell me?"

Akihiko's face grew tense and determined, as if he was staring down a boxing opponent rather than his girlfriend. Minako, however, knew that the look meant he was going to say something serious, not that he was angry with her. She didn't flinch under his intense gaze, simply waiting quietly and patiently for him to say what he needed to say.

"Minako…" Akihiko began. "Um… This is probably going to sound stupid, but… Even though this is supposed to be an operation and all, I…" He could feel his cheeks burning from what he was going to say next. "I… wanted you to be my date… I wanted to ask you straight out, but I was worried that… Wait, maybe worried isn't the right word… Um…" He brought a hand up to his head and sighed. Ugh, this isn't coming out right!

"You thought that I might say no, right?"

His eyes snapped open to gaze into her calm ones. "Um… Well…" How does she do that?!

Minako tilted her head to the side in confusion, "But, why would think that I wouldn't want to be your date?"

Akihiko rubbed the back of head nervously, "Well… Because… I'm not good at this sort of thing… And well, you never said anything about it—" Minako held up a hand to stop him.

She chuckled, "That's why…? …Aki, I don't care that you're not some super suave Romeo. I love you just the way you are. You're sweet, smart, strong, and you're unlike anyone I've ever met. I'm happy just being able to be with you. And as for me not saying anything about it, I kind of thought that us going to the dance together was implied. I mean, we are going out…"

As he gazed as her warm smile, he couldn't help the huge one that grew on his own face. Minako always knows the right things to say. With only a few words, the brunette had erased all his lingering doubts, leaving only the warm, complete feeling that he felt whenever he was with her.

He chuckled softly, "Yeah… I guess you're right…"

Their eyes drew each other closer, as Minako placed her hands on Akihiko's shoulders. Akihiko wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight embrace as his eyes gradually closed. Their lips connected in a soft, loving kiss, which conveyed the couple's true feelings for one another. The kiss lasted only a few moments before the two pulled away, but only a breath's distance. Both teens were smiling at one another with rosy cheeks.

"Hey…" Minako whispered, with a big grin on her face.

"Hmm…?" Akihiko grinned right back at her.

Minako's voice turned seductive, "Well, since we've pretty much taken care of everything… Why don't you and I get out of here, and…?"

"And…?" Akihiko asked, his interest having been piqued.

With the same sultry voice, she continued, "Why don't you and I get out of here, and… get ourselves a beef bowl…?"

Akihiko laughed at the girl's antics; she was just too adorable. But he decided to play along as his own voice lowered seductively, "As long as I get to have an extra-large…"

Minako giggled before taking his hand and walking to the exit, "Whatever you want, Aki…"

* * *

As she'd suspected.

She looked out across the school's rooftop, and saw the beautiful scenery that surrounded it. The pitch black sky with the stars and crescent-shaped moon were shining beautifully. She could see the lights shining from Paulownia Mall and a few other buildings. The distant ocean captured and reflected the rays, making the water glimmer and sparkle, as if there were thousands of jewels hidden beneath the surface.

However, perhaps the most mesmerizing sight of all was a certain cobalt-haired teen that was seated on one of the stone benches. The moonlight shone on his pale face, illuminating it as Minato stared back unblinkingly. A slight breeze blew across the rooftop, causing his blazer and dark bangs to billow in the wind.

She shook her head once she realized what she was doing; now was not the time. A large gust of wind blew against the rooftop, catching her off-guard and causing her to shiver violently. Apparently, it was louder than she thought, as the cobalt-haired teen turned his head to look at her.

"Senpai?" he asked, as he approached her. "What are you doing up here?"

"I-I could ask you the s-same t-t-thing," she countered, the chattering of her teeth diminishing the effect.

"Here, take this or else you'll catch a cold," he said, removing the blazer from his shoulders and placing it around hers.

The gesture was very sweet, and she turned her head in order to hide the redness in her cheeks, while wrapping the warm blazer tighter around her.

"I was just up here thinking… Sorry I didn't tell you beforehand…" he said, a little lackluster in her eyes.

She shook her head, "It's fine, but do you mind if I join you?"

She could see him hesitate for a moment before saying, "If that's what you want…"

They walked back to the same bench and sat down next to each other, although Mitsuru couldn't help but feel like they were miles apart. And while there was a time when that was how she preferred it, all the experiences she went through this year changed that.

"Arisato…" she turned to him.

She watched his gaze travel from the luminous moon to her. Usually, this would be the part where she asks him about whatever he's going through, but for some reason, she couldn't muster the words. Perhaps, she thought, that it was because those weren't the words that needed to be said. Perhaps that's why Akihiko hadn't fully explained the situation. Whatever the reason, the words that came to her were quite different, but also very insistent.

"Thank you," she said.

For once, she could actually guess what he was thinking, as flashes of surprise and contemplation flew across his face, before settling into an expression of confusion, "For what…?"

"For joining SEES, for becoming the leader, for helping in Student Council…" She had to avert her gaze at her next words, "… And for all the new experiences you opened me up to…"

If Mitsuru had been looking at Minato's face, she would've seen the shock that had come from those last words.

Pushing aside her embarrassment, Mitsuru pressed on, "All the places that you've introduced me to, and all the conversations we've had… I just wanted to let you know that I've… enjoyed them… They are all memories that I'll cherish forever… Although, I suppose you would feel differently since you've had to listen to all my griping…" She chuckled softly.

Honestly, Minato was having a hard time believing all of this. He had always looked forward to spending time with Mitsuru, and every time he did, he couldn't get rid of the grin that always appeared afterwards. He never really thought that she would feel the same.

That same grin reappeared on his face as he placed a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to look at him, "I don't mind… Feel free to gripe anytime…"

She smiled back at him, and for a few moments they just sat there, not moving or saying a word, simply enjoying the moment. However, Mitsuru suddenly saw a look of realization flash across the cobalt-haired teen's face as he began digging in his pockets.

"Huh…? Where is it…?" she heard the teen mumble, a bit frustrated.

She tilted her head, "Hm…? What is it?"

She heard him make a soft exclamation as he found what he was looking for and pulled it out of his pocket.

"Here… I got this for you," he explained as he presented a small black box to her.

"For me…?" she tilted her head in confusion before taking the box and flipping the top open. Her eyes widened and she couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her lips. Inside the box was an antique Japanese comb. She couldn't even begin to find the right words to describe its beauty…

Minato smiled again as he quietly watched the redhead admire his gift. He would have to remember to thank Mutatsu-san later; his advice was extremely helpful. Just seeing the happiness on Mitsuru's face made everything worthwhile.

"So, do you like it…?" Minato asked softly.

"This is… This is wonderful…" her eyes travelled to his, emotion that she never knew welling up within her, "Thank you… I'm glad that I came here with you tonight…"

Minato nodded, grinning, "Me, too…" He reached over and took the comb from its resting place inside the black box. Then, he gently brushed Mitsuru's bangs out of her face and placed the comb in her hair, before admiring his work.

"Beautiful…" his comment made the redhead's cheeks burn as she smiled, a little embarrassed but happy nonetheless.

Then, as if on cue, the music that they could hear from the dance changed. It became a soft, beautiful ballad filled with the melodies and harmonies between violins, pianos, and other instruments. The pair looked toward the doorway, then at each other.

Minato stood up and held out his hand, the smile still plastered on his face, "May I have this dance…?"

Mitsuru looked at the hand for a moment, remembered Akihiko's advice, and took hold of it. Minato pulled Mitsuru close to him as they danced together. Mitsuru wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder, basking in the embrace. Minato held onto her waist a tad tighter, wishing that the redhead would stay in his arms. And as they danced together under the star-filled sky, the two forgot any of their doubts for the future, only thinking of how this would certainly be a dance to remember.

* * *

A/N: Okay... This was really sappy. I'm sorry guys, I'm a huge sap so you'll probably see a lot of fluffy stuff at the end of my stories.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the ending to this fanfiction! Please leave a review telling me what you think. I've already started planning for my next fanfiction, but if any of you have a request for a story, you can leave it in a review or PM me.

One last thing, as you all have most likely gathered, Toshiro Noboru is an OC that I created to serve as a sort of social antagonist for Minato, so you'll probably see him again in other stories. However, I wanted some suggestions on the name of Minako's social antagonist. She'll have the same last name, Noboru, since I'm making her his older sister, but I'm a little stumped on what the first name should be. I would appreciate any suggestions for it. Thanks in advance!

Until my next story, this is Lady Sinistra signing off.


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